


A Tale of Two Wardens

by Dragoness31



Series: The Hero of Fereldan [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst with a Happy Ending, Awkward Flirting, Dragons, Eventual Romance, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Grey Wardens, Mage Origin, Mages (Dragon Age), Mages and Templars, Romance, The Fade
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-01
Updated: 2018-07-01
Packaged: 2019-05-31 22:10:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15128840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragoness31/pseuds/Dragoness31
Summary: This is the story of Samantha Amell, a mage in the Fereldan Circle of Magi and Kinloch Hold. She is a very talented mage who also likes to break the rules a little, this includes her very brief time spent kissing and cuddling Templar Cullen Rutherford of Kinloch Hold, as well as her ability to pick pockets and open locks with a spell. You all know the story, (if you've played the game). she is taken to her Harrowing, a test mages must pass to become a full mage in their Circle, and beats it in record time. She helps a friend, but it is actually a trap because he is trying to do something wrong. Things go awry and you get into trouble, but Duncan the Grey Warden recruits you to become a Warden and help stop the Blight. Things are never easy in stories like this however. Mentors get killed, abominations take over places they shouldn't, you are left with only one other Warden to stop the Blight, but you need an army to do that, so it's your job to gather that army using very old treaties. To get this army, you have to help others solve their problems so they can help. Will it all be in time to stop the Blight? Will the Wardens be able to defeat the Archdemon?





	A Tale of Two Wardens

**Author's Note:**

> This is the story of my female mage, Samantha Amell. Adding things that were not in the game. I also have the Cullen romance mod installed where you get a brief scene with Cullen while in the Circle Tower before you head to Ostagar. This is the Dragon Age: Origins events. The events from Awakening will be in the 2nd part. I will be using game capture footage to write the dialog and story events. This may take a while, because I am going to be doing a new play through of the game and I am trying to use mods, including a Grey Warden armor mod, which is not working very well.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Samantha Amell is in the library studying because she has been told her Harrowing is happening soon. A young, shy templar named Cullen comes see her and they talk, and flirt a little since they have been meeting in secret to cuddle and kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will have a link to the YouTube video of the gameplay of this that I have uploaded. This footage also includes the Harrowing, which is the next chapter.

_“And so is the Golden City blackened_

_With each step you take in my Hall._

_Marvel at perfection, for it is fleeting._

_You have brought Sin to Heaven_

_And doom upon all the world.”_

_\- Canticle of Threnodies 8:13_

“The Chantry teaches us that it is the hubris of men which brought the darkspawn into out world. The mages had sought to usurp Heave, but instead they destroyed it. They were case out, twisted and cursed by their own corruption. They returned as monsters, the first of the darkspawn. They became a Blight upon the lands, unstoppable and relentless.

The dwarven kingdoms were the first to fall, and from the Deep Roads the darkspawn drove at us again and again until finally we neared annihilation.

Until the Grey Wardens came. Men and woman from every race, warriors and mages, barbarians and kings… the Grey Wardens sacrificed everything to stem the tide of darkness… and prevailed.

It has been four centuries since that victory and we have kept our vigil. We have watched and waited for the darkspawn to return. But those who once called us heroes… have forgotten. We are few now, and our warnings have been ignored for too long. It may even be too late, for I have seen with my own eyes what lies on the horizon.

Maker help us all.”

\- Duncan, of the Grey Wardens

Samantha Amell was sitting in the library doing research per her mentor’s instructions. She wasn’t there long before she heard the footfalls of a templar; most mages looked when they heard that sound. She looked up and upon seeing that it was Cullen, she smiled slightly and her heart sped up a little like it always did when he was near.

Relations with Templars were forbidden according to Chantry law, but the rule was not always followed. They hadn’t done more than share a few kisses, held hands, and cuddled a time or two. They were both waiting for her to complete her Harrowing, which they were fairly sure she would, before doing something more serious because once she passed the Harrowing the Chantry considered her “safe” or at least as safe as any mage in their opinion. Cullen was also a tad shy.

She turned her gaze to her book but glanced up to watch him. He’d walked past her but stopped not far from her. He glanced back at her and seemed to be considering something. He looked away, then turned and headed back towards her. He approached her and she politely raised her head and looked at him, trying to keep any emotion out of her expression, but she was pretty sure he could tell by the look in her eyes that she was happy to see him. He rubbed the back of his neck, his nervous habit that she’d always found enduring. She smirked.

“Don’t…don’t you normally have lessons now?” Cullen asked, stammering slightly like he often did around her.

She looked at him and gave him her full attention as she smiled. The corner of his mouth turned up slightly as it always did when she smiled at him.

“No, my mentor suggested I study instead, said something about never knowing when I might need to know something…he was a bit evasive actually. So, here I am studying.”

Cullen moved around behind her and closer to her chair. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes as her scent; a mixture of orange blossom, sandalwood, a hint of peppermint and something that was uniquely her; filled his senses and it took a great deal of control to suppress his excitement.

He released his breath then opened his eyes and looked at what she was studying; the Fade. Cullen swallowed the lump in his throat as he looked guiltily at the top of her head because he now knew why she was told to study; she would be undergoing the Harrowing soon. He’d been informed by Gregoire that he was to attend and would be the templar to strike the killing blow if she failed. He had almost protested the order but knew he couldn’t without revealing his feelings for her and the encounters they’d had. He was worried and hadn’t slept well because he was so scared he was going to have to kill the woman he cared about, who he had secret and most likely forbidden thoughts about. A small voice in his head kept reminding him how talented she was and that she would pass. Another voice, that sounded a lot like Sam, kept saying that there was nothing to worry about, she’d pass and impress everyone in doing so. He hoped that was true.

“Cullen…is everything okay?” she asked, concern in her tone.

Her question pulled him out of his jumbled thoughts. He looked around and saw no one watching them, then put his hand lightly on her shoulder. “Sorry love, just got distracted,” he whispered.

She turned her head and looked up at him. “You look like you’re worried about something…you’ve got those little worry lines between your eyes,” she said as she reached up and lightly touched him there.

“I um…”

“Wait, are you worried because you heard about what’s happening soon?”

“What do you mean?” he replied, wondering if they’d told her already.

She lowered her voice so only he could hear her. “Irving told me that I’m going to do my Harrowing soon, he didn’t say exactly when, but it made it sound like it could be at any time…I have this feeling it will be tonight…” she said, rambling a little.

Cullen smiled slightly at her rambling because he knew she only did it when she was nervous, but his smile disappeared when it hit him that Irving shouldn’t have told her the Harrowing was happening soon. He understood why the man had told her, Irving had a soft spot for her as did he. Then he felt relief she knew. He nodded.

“Oh, so they told you…then that must mean…how cruel of them to make you watch…”

As she talked she watched his face and noticed tension there. That’s when she realized this was about more than him knowing about and being made to watch her Harrowing; she got a bad feeling he was being forced to be the one who killed her if she failed.

She used her hand to cover the one he had on her shoulder. “Don’t worry, you get to watch me succeed and I will try my best to impress everyone.”

He looked at her and their eyes met. A bit of red crept onto his cheeks “You’ve always impressed me.”

“I want to do my best and maybe one day get to see what’s outside the tower. Magic has it’s uses, but should never be abused,” she said as she moved her hand to her lap, fighting the temptation to touch more of him.

He moved his hand to his side and then smiled again. “If I didn’t know better I would say you took that from one of your books…”

“Nope, it is truly what I believe. Some people see me as cursed and I don’t think I am, it’s a gift I was given for a reason.”

“A gift people fear.”

“I wish they wouldn’t, but all I can do is find a way to show people they don’t have to fear me or my kind.”

“If you ever leave this tower, I will miss you,” Cullen whispered.

“And I will miss you…maybe you could be the templar assigned to come with me, keep me out of trouble.”

“I doubt we’d be that lucky.”

“Have hope Cullen, one day good things will happen for both of us.”

“I will try…for you.”

Sam looked around and noticed a few people were looking their way. “Thank you, Ser Rutherford for helping me understand that better,” she said loudly enough so the others could hear her.

Cullen looked around and noticed the looks. “You’re welcome ser mage, I hoped I helped,” he said in response.

“It was a great help. I hope I’m not keeping you from your duties,” she said. She reached down and back and found Cullen’s hand, which she lightly touched.

“It is part of my duty to help you,” he said out loud. “I wish I could stay longer,” he whispered. He felt her hand touch his and lightly touched her back. “I shall go and leave you to your studies,” he said so others could hear and then stood up. He slowly turned and started to walk away. He found himself feeling suddenly anxious for her, like something was going to happen to her that would change both of their lives.

She watched him leave and then turned back to her book.


End file.
